Is Justice the Answer: A Civil Rights Response

This week, I was honored to participate in the National Consultation of the Conference of National Black Churches  as a panelist with Rev. Al Sharpton of National Action Network, Melanie Campbell of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Cornel William Brooks of the NAACP. discussing the question, “Is Justice the Answer: A Civil Rights Response.  We discussed the urgent need for racial justice organizations to work closely with the faith community to confront the uncertainty the recent presidential election has cast upon civil rights, healthcare, income equality and fair policing.

This question has been especially poignant to ponder in Charleston this week, as the trial is underway here of the accused in the horrifying racist massacre at Mother Emanuel Church that occurred in June of last year. The people of Charleston and the nation desperately seek peace. From the darkest days of slavery, though the Civil Rights Era of the mid-20^th Century, to the present day, the church has been the bedrock of the racial justice movement. I thank the Conference of National Black Churches for the opportunity to share this important Consultation, and for all the important work they do.